T&T Government To Review Controversial Cyber Crime Legislation

 

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad CMC – The Trinidad and Tobago government, on Monday, said it was prepared to review the controversial Cyber Crime Bill (2014) insisting that it has no intention of wanting to imprison journalists.

Both the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT) and the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) have expressed concern about the legislation with one opposition legislator warning over the weekend that the operations of the media could be seriously affected as he debated the legislation.

MATT in a statement said that the bill, which is now being debated in Parliament, contains provisions that infringe on journalists’ freedom to gather and report information and urged the public to take note of the measures being pushed through by the coalition People’s Partnership government.

“The Bill threatens to criminalise and imprison journalists who report on documents obtained from whistleblowers and to undermine the ethical obligation of journalists to protect the identities of confidential sources.

“This challenges the constitutionally enshrined rights of press freedom and the public’s right to free expression, key pillars on which our democracy stands,” MATT said in its statement.

But speaking on a radio programme here, Leader of Government Business, Dr. Roodal Moonilal, said, that the legislation will be discussed by government’s parliamentary caucus on Monday.

Moonilal told radio listeners that the government had received correspondents from TTBPA and other stakeholders “and at three o clock we will meet for our caucus and we will discuss the bill”.

The media groups here say they are particularly concerned about  “Clauses 9 and 13, (which) for example, threaten to stifle and criminalise journalists, whistleblowers and members of the public who receive, gain access to or share “computer data from another person knowing that the other person has obtained the computer data through unauthorised means.”

“These laws can be used to prosecute journalists and whistleblowers along with members of the public who re-share such material over the internet. Penalties range from TT$200,000 (One TT dollar =US$0.16 cents) and three years imprisonment to TT$500,000 and five years imprisonment”.

Moonilal said it is the intention of the government to review the legislation “with a critical eye” insisting “it is not the intention of the government at all to criminalise the activities that can lead to the detriment of any fundamental freedom and particularly as it relates to journalism and the practice of journalism.

“So where such an issue arises we will look at it,” he said, noting that last Friday during the debate in Parliament the government had taken a deliberate position not to push through the legislation.

“We will revisit it today and see how best we can deal with it, whether it will require amendments…but it is not our intention to introduce clauses that will hurt journalism and the practitioners”.

Moonilal also hinted at the possibility of further consultation with the stakeholders saying “if it is a matter that can be dealt with by amendment and on the floor…we can just remove the clauses, just delete.

“It may be that a few amendments would take care of the significant issues raised by persons in the public domain but we will determine that today and decide how to move forward.”

, said, that the legislation will be discussed by government’s parliamentary caucus on Monday.

Moonilal told radio listeners that the government had received correspondents from TTBPA and other stakeholders “and at three o clock we will meet for our caucus and we will discuss the bill”.

The media groups here say they are particularly concerned about  “Clauses 9 and 13, (which) for example, threaten to stifle and criminalise journalists, whistleblowers and members of the public who receive, gain access to or share “computer data from another person knowing that the other person has obtained the computer data through unauthorised means.”

“These laws can be used to prosecute journalists and whistleblowers along with members of the public who re-share such material over the internet. Penalties range from TT$200,000 (One TT dollar =US$0.16 cents) and three years imprisonment to TT$500,000 and five years imprisonment”.

Moonilal said it is the intention of the government to review the legislation “with a critical eye” insisting “it is not the intention of the government at all to criminalise the activities that can lead to the detriment of any fundamental freedom and particularly as it relates to journalism and the practice of journalism.

“So where such an issue arises we will look at it,” he said, noting that last Friday during the debate in Parliament the government had taken a deliberate position not to push through the legislation.

“We will revisit it today and see how best we can deal with it, whether it will require amendments…but it is not our intention to introduce clauses that will hurt journalism and the practitioners”.

Moonilal also hinted at the possibility of further consultation with the stakeholders saying “if it is a matter that can be dealt with by amendment and on the floor…we can just remove the clauses, just delete.

“It may be that a few amendments would take care of the significant issues raised by persons in the public domain but we will determine that today and decide how to move forward.”